Stitching



Patented Sept. 9, 1947 UNITED STATES Q F Fi CE *S'I-ITCHING William-.Schwartz, New York,. Y..,=assignorit.o ILa Marquise Footwear, 1110.,INew .York, .N. .Y., a corporation ofNew York 1 i ApplioationJunefl,1944, \Serial N'o.f539, 055 :7 Claims. (ores-19.5.)

Theipresent invention has an important application in the art of:boudoir :slippers, but ;is applieable'alsoto other: types: of footwear,andin certain of its broader aspects, thevinvention is applicable ctoaw-ide variety-of stitched structures and .to methods of producing the.:same.

Ari-object of the invention is to provide an articleoifootwearafiording-a seam between the rim of the upper and the portion-.of the .sole body thereto, attached, whichsseamshall have theornamental appearance of van expensive handmade. cross-stitch,.andthough ofinelastic thread or strandlshall tadd totthe comfort of wearJoy yielding. slightly to the movement of the foot.

Another object; is. torprovide an article of .foot- Wear'having aseamoftheabove type which may be, produced by the use of an ordinaryhigh-speed zigzag lock stitch sewing machine.

Another object is to provide a stitchand a methodof making the, vsamewhich serves for, securely'bindingithe exposed finished edge of onestrong piece o'f'fabric' to anadjoining like fabricin"substantially edgeto edge abuttingrelation'ship, which efiectively distributes tensilestrain tending to draw such abutting fabrics apart,iandj has theornamental appearance ofan expensive hand=ma'de cross-stitch, but. mayhe produced rapidlyfand at'low costiby resort to .a conventionaltypeofsewing machine.

Another object .is .tQfprov-i'de astit'ch landta method 'of'makingthesame which shall bersecure' and ornamental' in appearance and capable ofbeing "mechanically "made '"in ,a .wide variety of applicationsotherthan'those above referred to.

'In the accompanying drawings fin which are shown 'one'or'more-"ofvariouspossible embodiments-'ofthe several'featuresof theinvention,

-Fig. 1-isa;perspective view of "a slipper embodying the invention andshowing'part of the undersole partially withdrawn to reveal the generalconstruction,

'Fig. 2" is a; perspective view on a, greatly .enlargedsca'le showingthefouter or 'ex-pose'dside of the seam'as applied to'an article offootwear,

'*Fig. '3 'is-a'-view"similar toFi'g. 2 :showinglthe innerorconcealedside of the seam,

Fig; 4-is-a perspective view showing the interrelationibetween thethreads or strands that make. .1 the'seam,

"Fig.3 is'aperspective view illustrating the method a of producing.thewseam .withlthe use .-of a conventional type of. sewing. machine,

Fig; Gris a; transverse sectional view taken-on line'66 of'Fig;

:Fig. 7 is-,a perspective .viewshowingrthe seam spreading .pperation, Iv

-Fig.;8 is--a fragmentary perspective v.viewshowin=,g.--a;. pipingarrangement incorporating features ofthetpresentinvention, and g g VFig. 9 is a View similar .:to Fig. -8 (showing ca decorative seamincorporatinglthe broader ,prineiples. of (the. present invention asapplied to a a simple tpieee-of fabric.

-Referripg new to the. drawings the .invention is-shownl incorporatedinratboudoiri slipper of the general typedisclosed in the prior,patentto Sal Pepitone .fNo. 2,344.,05.'7. .'issued ,.March;.I4, 1944.The -.i ipper. has an. ins'ole- .[0 provided .with "a rimpr border fI'Lito. which is "attached by .a line of =stitchingiSa binderrstrip l3Idrawn inward snnglyat 'Mato encompass .theiedge. of a sole bodytfi.the;lower or rawfaceof which hasadhesively attached, .thereunder thebottom sole l5. Thedetails. of construction of this slipper are bythemselves not material'to thepresent invention andjtherefore .nee'd1.1011108 described more "fully.

The present Linvention .resides in the particular stitchS and the.method ofijformingg thesame by which the: insole is'attacheditothe'zbinder.

The bidder strip may 'consisti'of a; narrow piece oi"f abric t3,desirably matching that of the upper; 'ibackedfby a corresponding "stripI"! j of strong duck adhesivelyibondedthereto. The upper ie'dge "of" thebinder' strip" is desirably" turned inwardly asat H3 and adhesively held"tothe body thereof. As shown in'the'jirawi ngsythe trimmingborder Il-"of the insole I-0 -:whieh,-- prior to assenrbly in the shoe, wouldextendin a horizontal plane, is made to-extend downward atsubstantiallyright angles to the insele-'-andits free edge I9 is abutted by theinturnededgeof the binder strip.

"'I-"he -seamg as= show-n,"hasthe appearanceof an ornamentalcross-stiteh and the intersections preferably exterid -aiongsaid edget9;

'Preferably, the ornamental stitch is-rnadeup of a pair of threads orstrandsflfl -aind 2 each of zigzag form; w-hichare 'interlooped atalternative vertiees thereof as at 22 a1ong the edge Y 9, at whichregionthe interloopedthreads are superposed over, =butfdo=not=penetrate'the-tabrics. The strand orthread -"Z lpenetrats th'border- Hat; its line of intervening '"vertices E23 and: the other strandprthreadfil issubstantially embedded in the'zbinder strip f3at"its'lineofjint,ervening.ver ticesf'2j4". jsaid verti'cesi"2'3 K. and;24 m are Laligned transversely of. oralo-uga line normaltoLth-abflttingedges I 9. Preferably thes strandazorpenetratingthefabric at each vertex23 .extendgxas concealed reversely doubled lengths, or in other words astwo parallel connected bridge lengths 25 and 26 on the rear side of theconnected fabric pieces across the abutting edges IQ for interlooping asat 21 with the vertex joining the two short companion lengths 28 and 2Bof the corresponding directly opposed vertex of the other strand orthread 2|. Said interloop 2'! is preferably substantially embeddedwithin the thickness of fabric l3 and its backing H, as is evident fromthe absence of the interloop 21 from Figs. 2 and 3.

The interlooped vertices 22 exposed along the abutting edges [9 do notpenetrate the fabrics, or either of them, but he snugly thereagainst tokeep the fabric edges in abutment in a common plane without the danger,incurred if the stitch penetrated the fabric substantially at its freeedge, of breaking through under the strain of wear.

The two strands or threads making up the stitch extend about th entireperiphery of insole and binder and afford a particularly secure seamtherebetween. This seam will not only take the strain exerted thereon insnugly drawing the binder strip 13 about the sole body as shown in Fig.1, but in the actual use of the slipper or other article of footwear,the seam, constructed as described, will accommodate the strain incurredin walking or in exercising of the toes or foot within the slipper. Werethe binder strip connected to the upper by the ordinary straight lockstitch, strain would tend to loosen r break the longitudinal runs ofthread. In the case of the present seam, however, each approximatelyopen square s of which the design of stitch is made up would bedistorted slightly into a diamond or oblong at the region of increasedstrain. The strain applied in use at any one needle hole is distributedalong four thread runs, two of which extend obliquely to distribute thestrain over the interlooped companion thread or strand and the other twoof which extend directly across the abutting fabric edges to divide thestrain with the companion needle hole. The strands are free to slide ateach needle hole as well as at the interlooped portions 22 and 21 tofurnish the added length for the distortion above set forth in renderingeach strained square elements somewhat rhombus or diamondshaped. Uponrelief of the strain described the parts return to their originalposition by reason of the slight resilience of the materials if not ofthe thread or strand. I

The stitch, aside from its ornamental appearance, mechanical securityand adaptability to strain, as noted, has the further advantage ofsimulating the appearance of an expensive handmade cross-stitch. H

The stitch as described is claimed as such, and also in its particularutility for footwear purposes, regardless by what methods or mechanismit is made. However, a preferred and economical method also claimedherein of producing the stitch will now be set forth. I

For this purpose, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the border ll of the insoleI0 is superposed, desirably in exact registering relation over thefinished inturned edge l8 of the binder strip l3; For

making the cross-stitch, the thread or strand 2D is applied from the topwhile the companion thread or strand 2| is applied from the bottom, thatis, from the underside of the binder strip, the interlooping of the twostrands occurring alternately at the vertices 24 at the underface of thesuperposed fabrics and at the edge l9 immediately beyond the twosuperposed fabrics.

a The mode of stitching thus described is most 4 effectivelyaccomplished by the use of a conventional high-speed zigzag lock stitchsewing machine of any of various designs now on the market. The machineis so adjusted that the thrusts of the needle alternate through thesuperposed insole border and binder and at the registering superposededges of the said two pieces. For this purpose a suitable foot 33slotted at 34 to accommodate the transverse needle movement of saidzigzag machine, cooperates with a gauge 35 adjustable at 36 forpositioning the superposed edges of the fabric pieces fed through themachine. Accordingly, the strands become interlooped at 22 against theedges of the two pieces without penetrating the latter. Desirably, theconventional thread controller, take-up or tension (not shown) of thesewing machine is loosened for both the needle and the bobbin feeds toattain considerable slack of both threads.

After the stitching operation set forth has been completed thesuperposed edges of border and binder are spread outwardly. This is bestdone as shown in Fig. 7 by passing the stitched fabric through a rollpress with milled rollers 3| and 32. The thickened interloop 2'1, shownexposed at the left of Fig. '7, is drawn into the thickness of thebacked binder strip I3 in this rolling operation and becomes anchoredthere, and the slack in the threads or strands permits the superposedborders of the two fabrics to be spread apart into substantially acommon plane to bring the extreme edges of the fabrics intosubstantially abutting relationship with the interloop vertices 22substantially aligned along the abutting edges of border and binder asshown at the right of Fig. 7. If desired, the roll press could beincorporated in a single unit with the sewing machine to spread out thefabric edges immediately after they have been stitched in the superposedrelation set forth. By the spreadingoperation set forth and shown inFig. 7 the border ll of the insole i forced into the plane of theadjacent portion of the binder to constitute a continuation thereof.Each superposed pair of needle holes in Figs. 5 and 6 penetratinginsole. and binder strip respectively being thus drawn apart to assume aposition at opposite vertices 23, 24 of the spread out attached fabricsform an open square stitch element 5 of the cross-stitch thus produced.

Thus, the stitch described above, with all the advantages resulting fromits use, may be produced mechanically in the simple manner lastdescribed uniformly and with considerable expedition. When the upperwith the binder strip thus peripherally attached to the insole is nowassembled with the sole body, the border ll of theinsole extends atsubstantially rightangles to the area of the insole'peripherally aboutthe upper part of the sole body and in the plane of the abutting upperedge IQ of the binder strip.

While the invention has been described in a preferred application forwhich it has been-particularly designed, it will be understood'that thestitch set forth has utility in other arts, more especially where it isutilized to connect a relatively thick binder, flounce-orskirt about theedge or periphery of afrelatively .thick fabric plaque, plate, disk orpanel. Among various applications to'which the stitch and method ofproducing the same would lend itself particularly are tobed-spreads,table covers, hat bodies, la mpshades, furniture, typewriter and fancovers, duffle-bags and. countless other articles inwhich a face ortoppiece or crown has attached thereabout a peripheral side piece or skirt.

The seam of the invention in still broader applications is useful-forattaching together two relatively stiff or thick pieces of fabric thatlie substantially in a common plane as, for instance, in the manufactureof drapes, or for the attachment of a sewage, 10111103, border or pipingto any relatively thick or stiff piece of fabric. In 8 is illustrativelyshown a cord 31 enclosed by the edge 38 of the fabric 39, and attachedthereto by the zigzag stitch made up of strands 30 anddl interlooped at42 along the rounded edgeof the structure, and penetrating the two plieso'fth'e fabric beyond the cord at 43. The thread "take-up would betightened rather than loosened in making up this structure, by use of azigzag lock stitch machine.

"Ihe'invention is also applicable for conveniently applying upon asingle relatively thick piece of fabric an ornamental design ofstitching. One' such application is shown in Fig. 9, in which the singlepiece of fabric is bent along line 45 to form superposed layers 46 and41, shown in dotted lines, which are stitched in the manner shown inFig. and then spread in the manner shown in Fig. '7 as above described.The thick fabric forms a sort of bead 48 held against spread by thebridge lengths (not shown, but corresponding to elements 25, 26 in Figs.3 and 4), the exposed interlooped vertices 49 of the two strands orthreads 50 and 5| extending over the median line of bead 48 as shown.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an article of footwear of the type comprising a pair of fabricsconsisting of an insole having a downturned trimmed border and a binderstrip having an inturned border in substantially edge to edge engagementwith said downturned border, and a sole body encompassed by said binderand said downturned border and cross-stitching attaching said binder tosaid border, the combination in which said stitching comprises a pair ofstrands each extending in a zigzag path with alternate vertices of thestrands interlooped, said interlooped vertices extending substantiallyalong the line of contact of border and binder and being superposedthereover at the outer face of the article, the intervening vertices ofthe respective zigzag strands being opposed to each other, said verticesof one of said strands penetrating one of said fabrics and eX- tendingin concealed reversely double lengths transversely across the junctionbetween insole and binder and being interlooped at the center of suchdouble lengths with the intervening vertices of the other strand, saidlatter vertices being substantially embedded in the other fabric.

2. In an article of footwear of the type comprising a pair of fabricsconsisting of an insole having a border and a binder strip attached tosaid border and exposing the edge of the latter, said border beingdownturned substantially in the plane of the binder and a sole bodyencompassed by said body and border and cross-stitching connecting saidborder and binder; the combination in which said cross-stitchingcomprising a pair of strands each extending i-n a zigzag course, oneexposed on the border and the other on; t-he binder,'-said strands beinginterlooped at alternate vertices thereof substantially along theexposed edge of theborder at the outerv face of the; article, ons of thestrands at each interme diate ver-tex thereof penetrating one of thefabrios ,and having a pair of concealed reversely donbled lengthstransversely of the border edge and interlooped with the correspondingconcealed opposed vertex of the otherstra-nd, said latter vertex beingsubstantially embedded in the other fabric.

3 an article of footwear of the type comprising-an insole having afinished border strip about the; peri ery thereof, and a binder strip oflined fabric having an inturned edge substantiallyin edge. to edgeabutting relationship with respect tothe edge -of said border, the upperpart of said binderand the adjacent part of the said border encompassingthe edge of a sole body, and cross-stitching connecting said border andsaid hinder; the combination in which said stitching comprises a pair ofinterlinked strands, each extending in a zigzag path with alternatevertices of the strands interlooped along the abutting edges of theborder and binder and superposed thereover at the outer face of thearticle, and intervening vertices of the respective strands alignedtransversely of each edge, said intervening vertex of one strandpenetrating the insole border and extending as a concealed reverselydoubled length, the center of such doubled length bein interlooped withthe corresponding vertex of the other strand, said latter interloopedvertex being substantially embedded within the thickness of the binderstrip.

4. The method of attaching to the border of a first element, a strip,which consists in superposing the edges of the said elements and forminga connecting seam therebetween by interlinking a pair of strands inalternate operations respectively immediately beyond the superposededges and through the superposed materials and thereupon applyingtension transversely to said elements to spread the stitch connectingthe first element and the strip, thereby todispose the faces of theformer substantially into the same plane with those of the latter.

5. The method of attaching a first fabric element to a second fabricelement, which consists in passing said elements with their borders insuperposed relation through a zigzag sewing machine set to pass theneedle alternately immediately beyond the edge of the superposed fabricsand through said fabrics, to interloop the two strands at each completein and out needle stroke, said stitching operation being performed withslack in the strands, and thereupon transversely spreading the stitchedsuperposed fabrics apart into substantially a common plane with take-upof said slack.

6. A seamed article comprising a pair of fabrics, the edge of one ofsaid fabrics being adjacent the other fabric, and an ornamental seamconnecting said fabrics near said edge, said seam comprising a pair ofstrands each extending in a zigzag course, said strands beinginterlooped at alternate vertices and said vertices being along saidedge, the intervening vertices of one strand penetrating one of thefabrics, the intervening vertices of the other strand beingsubstantially embedded in the other fabric, said intervening vertices ofthe two strands being in alignment transversely of said edge, the strandthrough one of said fabrics extending in reversely doubled transverselengths from each penetrating vertex along the rear faces of the fabricsa'nd being interlooped with the opposed substantially embedded loopedvertex of the otherstrand.

'7. A seamed article comprising a pair of fabrics in edge to edgeabutting relationship and an ornamental seam connecting said fabrics atsaid edge, said seam comprising a pair of strands each extending in azigzag course, said strands being interlooped at alternate'vertices andsaid vertices being along the exterior of said abutting edges, theintervening vertices of one strand penetrating one of the fabrics, theintervening vertices of the other strand being substantially embedded inthe other fabric, said intervening vertices of the two strands being inalignment transversely of said abutting edge, the strand through one ofsaid fabrics extending in reversely doubled transverse lengths from eachpenetrating vertex along the rear faces of the fabidea and beinginterlooped with the opposed substantially embedded looped vertex of theother strand. Y

' WILLIAM SCHWARTZ.

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS

